The Sun. — London, England, 1818-07-09 00:00:00

LITERAftY REVIEW. The tHYSIOGNONIIST, a Novel, by Author of " The - Ilaclfehir and the Married Man," 3 vols. tiro°. losomAN, and Co. We have long expected that striae Writer of 21tperior talents would attack with the isieapobs of Nvit and humour the modern systein Of ICranio logy. We are happy to find our redicition vet',- tied by tite Author of that very atn6ing novel, The Bachelor ?Ind the il",trried Man, ‘Olo has ]rely prodocerl the Physiogoomiist. Tire osten sible hero of (Iris tssot4t is also a Barir.!lbr, hn inersell in the sublime 'study of human who having - discarded one adopted heir 'ftir pretoirned to mainta'in tin independent'ettilllic!ti in the choice of a wife. ) elects ahother proteg6, whom he destines far a .lady, in whose us frontis he discovers the most decided rapaities for moral tud intellectual excellence. The character Of `this %%Trek perlops savours too Mod% . of la'ece, but tire Ifrlesipte.k occasionally 'relieved by th'e serious s lid the aittlror'exhibits, in a copy of Meg Merri lies, the ambiti'ons versatility of his talents. Physiognomist trill at least afford light snowier teadittg. The follwring sketch piesents a pair of scientific Lovers, who have simultaneonsly been initiated in the mysteries of Craniology and Count-. ship: " Mr. Gismo'', meanwhile, had attained the $lll7lllllllll bOlllllll. " Cyrits Bertie his young pupil, and Miss Rand ii, his fair croup:anion—were rapidly ad vancing in the sublime science t they could de scant with as nruch leatniog and prolixity on the beauty of the various fleihkss skulls find hideouts busts, that adorned Mr. Ossman's ••t.tuctitnt sonc tornm, as he himself could do. Our hero was above the petty feeling that endeavours to repress the progress of the tyro, lest he should too soon equal or surpass the preceptor. He calculated, that whatever fame Mr. Brilie and Miss Randall might hereafter acquire by their proficiency in this science—awl that they would acquire much reputation. did riot admit a douht*would, in the natural course of thinus, reflect an added histre on himself as their instructor and the original discoverer of their extreme cap') lity to imbibe every thing relative to physiognomy. Therefore he would still be the primary orb of this system, that imparted a poi tiim of its brilliancy to the minor planets that revolved round it. " Miss Randall--to use a technical term to be found in the lady's vocabulary—Miss Randall played her cards with the cautious skill of an adept; end, therefore, it was perfectly just and natural that the game should be her own. In short, Mr. Cyrus Bertie had imbibed so pure a taste—a taste so wholly different from the vulgar one—that be preferred the physingnomically beautiful distor tions of Miss Randall's face to the perfect features and love-beaming countenauces of the Paphian deity's daughters. " Cyrus wrote for his fathei's consent to their union. Mr. Ossinau dipatched an accompany ing note, stating the amount of the lady's rent roll, and inviting Mr. Bertie, sroior, to visit his amiable and learned daughter-in-law elect. " Mr. Bertie senior, thought still unwilling that his son should marry a woman whose reli .gious tenets differed front his own, yet accepted the invitation. Miss Randall was prepared to receive him ; and, attired in all the simplicity of the Quaker's style, was bent 011 Waking a favour able impression. " Cyrus, with All the pride of love—or of the feeling that supplied the place of it—of physiog nomy—conducted his father into the presence of the lady. Atter a visit of some length, Mr. Bertie, senior, returned to OSSman Hall, and de sired a private interview with his son. " Of course you will remember all the ra tional arguments that may be adduced in praise of Miss Randall ; and how 111111MR/11S are they !'--- said Mr. Ossman. " Do not fear time, friend,' replied Cyrus, who had not yet adopted the more courteous style of his present associates. " Mr. Bertie, when alone with Cyrus, candidly confessed that Miss Randall appeared to him any thing rather than beautiful. ' lint,' continued he, it is not the beauty of the person that is to be regarded in an affair so momentous as the present: a plain wife wilt perhaps constitute thy happiness rather than one whom the world would call comely. But there is a consideration I would not have thee overlook : it is not seemly that the wife should possess more years than the husband. The superiority in every respect should he on the part of the latter : seniority implies superiority in worldly wisdom, in spiritual experience. Guist thou then be contented to appear the inferior of thy wife ?' " Father,' returned Cyrus, thou considerest this affair altogether in a wrong light. First, Rachel Randall's countenance is pleasing to the eye, and the lines of her face, from the occipital extreme angular point to the extremity of the nasal curve, from the highest part of the pericra nium to the lowest of the chin, are beautiful be yond the imagination or coL:eption of any but a Physiognomist. 1 have dome contemplating those faces which the common judgment pronounces beautiful ; they are like the statues and foolish pictures one sees of the Heathen divinity Venus, which arc attractive to common eyes, but which, thou knowest, are all empty within. Now, on the contrary, the mind of the maiden, Rachel Randall, correspondeth with her features. She will be my friend and my companion one with whom 1 can be contented to pass my life, after the first mouths of passion are over. As to superio rity of age, thou mistakest in supposing Rachel so much my senior ; and even if she were, she would not seek that superiority over the thou seemest to fear : the maiden bath wisdom,- father; and thou kuowest that wisdom is better than riches, and the gain thereof than fine rubies.' Therefore, father, seeing thy arguments against our union are altogether irrational,- give thy con sent for us to be made one, and thereby promote thy son's happiness.' " The argument was unanswerable, though perhaps not convincing ; enfin, Mr. Bertie senior, regretted, but no longer opposed, where lie saw opposition would be unavailing, and Miss Ran dall gained the prize at which all her plans had aimed—a husband !" RvYAI4 ACAD . Ti At Oiti^erset-r - Tonce is noW closed, Wild we 041 retnerks, 1t part ing, on the general state of the Pettormances which have been displayed in it. It approra to hare bacti the unirersal feeling of srattaturs, whether learned or unlearned, that the effect produced by the whole collection wasPerf a satisfactory kind. Instead of the large number of crude and inailetomate attempts at paint log, which formerly used to disfigure the a alls, particularly iii the higher-ran-get, few ohjectiunable intrusions vrere this ear to he diknerrett amidst the runs) of meritorious works which occupiedthe different apartments. On the other hated, fetv'exansilles `Weer visible of striking novelty, or of such towering eminence, as sometimes lifts the Artist to touch, with 110 r CE, " obliori rrrtirec sidera." Both these observations may be referred to time same source. the Fine Arts of England have been making, for many years least, a gradual advance towards that degree of excellence., Sonth it, point of taste and science, which determines the corn - privative pretensions of the national ettarricter to mental ale gance and refinement. A general feeling of Nature in her various funds and C.ololl , lt i , a disecinrivatire ttleCtiOLT id ob jects (such as either alnuse us interest), a liistness of expres sion, and a powerful managenrent of light and shade, appears to pervade, in every part, the little World of Art. Tine systems of partial Sehools Lave been borne down by the pre valence of realm) and CoMllieH sense, and the at rangernents, which lie within) the methaiiital provinces of the - Arta, are . wisely subjected to the various tastes.of the atajficers. But it lutist be obvious that the amount of the whole is not hitherto sollicient to satisfy the desires arm ambitions' Artist •or an ambitious Spectator. Something yet relasains behind.: addition to the grace, the ease, the elegance,. and the dignty of Portrait, to the genuine humour of Domestic St•rnesancl Maxners, and to the tasteful views of native and fortign Landscape, there is yet wanting the . classic ornament of mead Historical Composition. It must excite regret sew observe, that the ardour which iinpeßed ANUELICA KAUFFMAN, and ONE, to regular and frequent efforts for the palm of honourable conteat, and occasionally called forth the high talents of Cuitt.EY ) Dasce, and Iloto.st;it, is of late years diminished, and almost fading niway. The examples of Historical Painting, in our latter Exhibitions, are so few in nutuber, as almost to have escaped the public notice, and to induce a general notion that " Mire is nothing. to be seen at Somersct-lioac.k. lint Portraits." How critically just or unjust this notion is, we need not discuss. It is certain, that regular efforts to support the character of the Academy in that branch of Art, which gives to Art its highest dignity, are almost as deficient as they are desirable. The character of the Annual Exhibition, indeed, loses much by the separate exhibition of the great works of the President in another place; and it is lamentable to think, that his con duct in this respect is fully to be justified by the situatlurs isa which an Historical Painter has hitherto been but too sure to be placed amongst us. FI'SELI, NORTHCoTE, SroTHARD, and a few more, occasionally prone that the tlusePirlii• is not extinguished. How marry more, "rtantei in gargiieasto," rest the whole of their claims Uri their share ofteiteral merit in the more ordinary practrei of the Art In that province, we have already said, their exertions demand our Warmest ad !siltation. many instances the garb of Historyis - eien worn by Portraiture, arid in some' with no inconsiderable Success. this light, we shall for a moitittlf review ii T wdrli of LAW rtENCE, a Painter eminently. persevering in 1413. attempts at superiority, though now ceasing to utter any designs of his tory to the Public. We meaii the !Portrait of the Duke of WEL LINOTON, which, as a work of Art, has a truly historical air, and, as a national record, from the peculiar dress of that great' Commander,together with the absence of ail symbols of his high military raids (except the tett scope iii his left hand), will out fail to attract the notice of the biographer anti the historian in future ages. There is in)y it so notch accurate attention to real circumstances, that. only one step ruore was wanting to render it wholly and ot,olutcly an historical record, - anal to preserve it from a criticism which has been made perhaps by trivial minds; but which yet cannot lee confuted, whenever the wink is considered iti the high rank just mentioned. The Painter has, no doubt, been told ere this, that the action of solute cannot take place in that scene in whiCh alone th'e costume of the Picture is historically appropriate, vis....irs the field of battle. The ingenious artifice by which 11 Las gut rid of the embarrassing deformity of a large hat on the had, is in every other view admirable. We will take leave of this Artist, by repeating our admiration of his Picture (No: S 3) of Lady E. L. GowEa, a production apparently of happy'facility, but which labour could nut have mended, and in which taste must ever delight. From the snlject of his greater work, the Duke of WELLINorost, we are not willing to part so soots, be cause we have a remark to offer, which affects our national character. The Duke of WELLINGTON is the greatest Gene ral of the age. lie has triumphed successively over every competitor who his been opp o s e d t o hi s p rogress , a n d 'finally over hiiu who Wag conceived to be the L uther of soil boric to become tine master of the world.' How happens it that, in a National Exhibition of Works of Art, tin symptom has appeared to testify that such extraordinary triumphs have :tern obtained by our Victor? We arc' ourselves not over fond of the feats of war, but are induced' to 'ask, flai: no instance occurrid, in the course of so long and successfril a CoUt VII, in which the superior character of the Hero might be conspicuously shewn and transmitted to posterity ? West recorded the Death of Nks.soaf. Most *We'‘eitit till his succes sor in victory shall alit) breathe his last, btrftire we veritare to entrust 116 actions to the band of the Painter? or is th e Panorama of Waterloo a sufficient National Nlotrunient of our triumph ? It must always be a matter of surprize, that amidst the various honours of external splendonr, Mitch are profusely offered to a successful Warrior, atilitist ribands, crosses, medallions, &c. the record of his exploitton ativas should riot form one of the compliments so justly paid by tie State.. The rluse of Sculpture is equally silent, until awakened by the death of Heroes. Sepulchral Records , are • the only public Monuments of their valour; and in those, by..acat , rious anomaly, their living- acti o n s so m e ti mes form'the whale subject of the composition. In all these points, we are to tally unlike to tile Athenians, whose examples we are so de sirous to rival. We cannot, however, witness, without considerable plea sure, the increasing sensibility of the nation to works of Sculpture. Seine few individual Patrons have been found to call forth the energies of our Sculptors. FLAXMAN . II Pcrtural ..Wpollo presented oar instance. The present year has exhi bited a work approaching the historical class, and has given the promise of another work altogether of that description. CHANTHEY'S beautiful Statue of. Lady L. ItrissELL is to be fol lowed by a Statue of Satan, according to the idea given of him by MILTON an arduous task, worthy to rouse the soul, and employ the whole abilities of the Artist. We have al ready remarked, that since the retirement of NOLLEKENS, the station which he held in public favour, seems, by common suffrage, to hare fallen to the lot of CHANT/MY, and, aspir ing as that Artist is, and eminent, as he canuot fail to be, it will he happy for him if he meets with criticism sufticieotly enlightened to keep his mind on the watch for that continual progress in study which alone wins a lasting crown for ge nius. To recur frequently to the suiginal standards, which Nature alone is able to furnish, is the great and necessary lesson. The combinatioos of genius, always delightful, are satisfactory only in proportion as they spring from solid prin ciples. When fancy is permitted to form the ground-work, the structures raised on it may be captivating Irons their nu relty, and delicious from their relish, but the perthenence of fame is endangered. Art, not Nature, becomes the standard; fancy furnishes chimerical graces; ease supersedes labour; and the result is, caprice and evatiescenre. The remarks which we have here wade nominally in regsid, 'Painter•uid Sculptor, we desire to "- to one distinguished tend, as we conceive they apply, to every Painter end. every Sculptor in the kingdom. }rota the combined exertions of individuals roust arise the aggregate character of our Arts, and in proportion to the standard of historical competition, will be the fitial measure of national calinctoc,. The I s apecs of iNlond:iy hist, which were due this morning, have n(*arsived• The fulfowing Letter appears in The Morning Chrwzirle of this day, and yet it persists in affect ing to believe that the detected Conspiracy, which is the subject of universal Conversation in Paris, is. what. it is pleased to tet•th A mysti/kation " Nati, ;.:11.71.1f I.—The Conspiracy, of which I gave you some account in my last, has taken the place of the Loan as topic of tht day. No pains are spared by Ministers and their friends to enforce a belief of its reality. it appears, indeed, that the former have got something like evidence into their hands, and that they had already instructed the Attorney- General, M. JACQU MOT de PANIPELUNE i to proceed upon it', when a letter front the KINo to M de cAzes, which has • been much talked of, and which the friends of Ministers are industriously circulating the contents of, put a stop to all prosecution. The purport of this letter, as described by these, is, that his MaJEsTY knows already but too touch on the subject, and desires no further investigation may take place, fearful, as he is, of finding among the guilty some of ahose most dear to hint. One known fact is, that much agitation has been observed of late in the Royal Guard; that the Officers complain loudly of what they term their Jacobin King; and that several individuals of high rank among these have been exiled within these few days from Paris. M. de la Roctre-JAcouErAN.may be instanced as the most conspicuous among them. It is also to be noticed, that a virulent pamphlet in the Ultra interest,, entitled ap7,el arcs tr f ris Pran ca s,is in private circulation at this moment. e perais CANUEL and DONNA. Ul EU arc generally reported to have taken a leading . parrin the plan in question ; and some peo ple golo far as to say, that the -- of ---- has not a little countenanced this spirit of rebellion in the Ultra lyarty, by the distinction he bestows on some of its Leaders, Dostsranitar. in particular, whom ha has • been ia the habit of mnch no ticing of late, and 'whose merits, as a faithful servant to the Kltio, he is frequently cinumenditig ; and this at is time when thcGetteral is in disgrace and in open hostility with Ministers." Now, after feeding the above letter we appeal to the pnblie whether it is probable that the al leged plot i 3 a mere invention. The New Times also continues to treat the matter as " idle spe culation" in the English Papers, and says this day, that it is " an invention so weak and con temptible as to be absolutely unknown at Parris, except to a few of the contemptible Agents of the Police, whose business it is to mystify and delude foreign nations." Nothing cart be more in oppo sition on this subject than The Chronicle and The New Times.—The one declares that it " has taken place of the loan as the topic of the day," the other affirms that it is '' an invention, so weak and con temptible, as to be absolutely unknown at Paris, except," &c. But according to the letter in The Chronicle, the Attorney-General was instruced to proceed, when he was stopped by a letter hem the King, of which the friends of Ministers " are industriously - circulating the contents," Is it possible then, with such movements on the occa sion, that The Chronicle can venture to contradict its own Correspondent, and treat the matter as a mystification, or The New Times declare that it was absolutely unknown in Paris, except to a few individuals ? We shall leave these Journals to reconcile their contradictions if they think .proper. We are glad, however, to perceive that The New Times: has thought proper to shift its groom', and intimate that it did not mean " hired Scribblers" employed by M. CAzt in Eng lish Journals, but those in Paris. The same Paper avows its attachment to the Ultra Royalists, bat says nothing on the imputed motives of its attach ment, and we shall not pursue the subject.— But we deem it necessary to, repeat our firm conviction in the reality of the Plot, and if we did not fully rely on the correctness and fidelity of our Correspondent at Paris, our conviction would be strengthened by the Letter in The Chro nicle. As to time declaration of The New Times, that " it is matter of positive calculation that the Ultra Royalist Party includes four fifths of the principal Landholders in France," it is possible that the assertion , lay be well. founded ; but - whit is' that number compared with mite Jacoliins, whi) far out-number them, and with the other factious in France who are not Land• holders, but who, in hopes of getting something ,' a rt getSerEll stsra'rtlisk, Would be read''' "` time, to subvert the ts;ovetntnent, and cr etttc t , new lilevotatissn ? The ALLIED Povi g" 8 : 0 ilwrerote, nielunly culled On tc ex/indite the s ' B c , of France. with the profouttlett t° 1111 the recent Conspiracy the bottom, a t, deeply to re fl ect on the danger that tuigb t - tend the vri'tioltatvral of their respective I°l.ceg; lest they should precipitate the tinir°6lll a ,u ,s Monarchy in France, nut! inisolve thersiselY4lB-1J their several dominions in thet ruin whic h 1410a c f shake the political fabric fl all the Stttic t)g Eltrope. Of We recortseaend to the psrticolar attentra. ' 4l' tire Public, an article in our Paper of this on the Origin and Progress of the French gel°. !lidos's, with .s hick an old and valuab le Coll. e =9 t; spondent hat favoured us, who intends top . cce d till he hiss fully developed the history, Rn d tr3cc d, the consequences, of that melancholy awl J tes gie ful event, thereby consequently holding out 1. 0 example of France as u warning to E"g i9"( 4, Such a retrospect is, indeed, imperiously sie° l3° e ell in th6t critical and awful tittles, wile" 14311 / c a itself seems to be torn by rival factiotts , _ f „ be on the brink of a new R e volution, an d " 1 :0 Refure'ierti full as wicked and desperate trig Country as the authors of that Revolatir'ii'°o constantly endeavouring to overwhelMotir g i°rl :;s Constitution, which has long rendered the pe c .to of Great Britain the freest and happiest on 1 4 %a l in older to produce the same horrors by lbe 11 sci means. We trust that this lIRTRoSrecT Kt culate through every civilized part of J( Globe where the Great Ls/Nets:AßV' 7 . „, 0 4 name our Palitt bears, shall spread his ci VIl l l beams, and that, by the means of 11 1 ' 1 ' 3lti p r esi lesson, we shall be able to spread to the 5111 ' . et a tent a beneficial light to the moral tct'r ki ' fcr , e ls fi t preservation and security, to the most di sts r We trust that Governs-tient will co015"le. :01 question, whether the adtriirers of Sir etis BURDETT, not having had the Baron et t. cl• ic to as usual, on the day of Election, hare a r ,44 distittb the peace of the Metropolis by fer this ceremony performed on a day sei }011' ; tli s the purpose. We have seen th e charac ter') t i ef 3 Burdettites in their conduct during the e °ll, ‘v ,s2 ,l the most daring outrages were com mitte d ' ce , when one of the Candidates, a g a llant Sav` d (1 ,1 . r ► who is esteemed wherever he is known, f ill. P -( ;:gi sional skill and private virtues, as well A s (41r t s i t v talents, and who had, surely as goad 11 offer himself to the Electors of Wesrad °l ssi l any of the other Candidates, received! !ll' n e ra insults, severe corporeal injuries, an d %vil b , s l s in imminent danger of being tra ns cotte death. :Shall then the Rulers of al ' e try, and the Magistracy of the Metropolis, • te iv behold preparations calculated in (114‘ . ot gether an immense nioh, who, in the zi:` ll pre tion, and the madness of intoxicatioo , ceed to the most violent and dreadful ext (4iij c oe l Is the Election Contest, with its d a ngeo di i 11 . 1 1 motions, to be thus f a rther protracted , 8(1 td Tit a LAW tolerate proceedings that Nal lair ij such lamentable excesses IVe coucti ve ti'3t 0113 it incumbent on those to whom the Pc"6c:e security of the Empire are entrusted, t" n 1 ttiitb possible inquiries into a su bject pregi ljlit such alarming mischief, and that may ledd t ry 0 0 direful consequences. In no o dic!' o °lll Earth would such preparations as "11 ;0 0 ' iusurrection, as well as to all domestic lt ° ceir a be suffered to take place, and sve ccln that the people at large base a ti g ht t° tid y to Government for du e protection, a t 1) 4 5 oil when wicked a g itat or s, in Factious O a e fr Public Joutnals, are ma ki ng a ll Ito ssill • 0 0' ut i f ul: forts for totally destroying the Constitrsal oo re der the pretence of Re:f orm ing it by. rear , Suffrage and siessual Parliaments. Tb e rto er we say, have a right t o expect that tia lic tiic o e l will act with due vigilance and vigour ° fe e , casion, or otherwise it must be held gis Bible for the consequences. LYMINGTON, JULY S, irs/ i just landed the Purser o f t he lUit/icori g it ! „eol lididlll*ll, charged With dispatches frozzl ef,lll and Madras, also from Sir i i vpso s Lot"' ta r t ell S ATHUEIT, with which he set off ior','::to Fvur o'Ciock, P.: vg fur Landul" The William Miles I,lz )146r— tile 27th February, and arrived at Sc• fi ciell4 3 0 6 month, leaving 12th April, and sa il e d t h e 17(11 of tbe ro s qar there his Nl„jesty's o' l ' 9 -- 11 oltg " r, Grit/on , amid Musquito. Oil the ~,° l 9 °I : City of Edinburgh, spoke, to the `loath of the Western .I , l' -)( iow St. II 1 e•emi, bound to Gibraltar, al l sve-1. 1 , e ste r , ~ THE QUEEN.—IIer 11A.IFsTY %vas stxte(iL'ie,(l'll day t 0 t: % - ) be much the same as . she v 135 012 - .3F , i f not still enouvh, we 'gret lOfaqs:l,,gl tide out 'as • Capt. LorK, from kribi 11! her chair iii Kew t_;:irdrtis O li o f il e! :o t evening.evening The . PRINCE REGF,NT t %•ent 4) . 0 i11 .I aga i n IlKasito v isi t his Royal Nloiller'. evell;r,g t o K c y r paisce• THEA'fRICAL 111.:(CISTtlt. Ferforincd Last NiX, /l:. 1 . 1 - trA . ;Ar. Rurtir. , CovFNT - GAR..6civ,---I.'he Slave': (Cambia, Maervaily' Irl tla, MiiS After whiell, The :tad hiOilen. TrtEvritf; Iturnt , Emf...„lmir 014:na, STRANI).—Tv6r : Sir de Gay, Mr.llftikiry ; Itueahclte, N l lll% Kelly. After which, A'atited a Gorernets, u %v,bicta 41iis ad,k4, La Perouse. Nib\ ARftryru-1 tIt7E —.2 Waterford, 1 Lhbort, 1 Malta, Cibttentiurg!i, 1 France. PRICE 0 F STOCKS o'ermtN. THIS DAT AT I' per Cent. rtva.. 5 ptr Cent. Corot. 3i per Cent •• • •Si 101%• pr. Exch. gd 19..10.i. 'pr. Ditto, 9h1.. 20‘. 21g. pr. . pr. Cut. for Accv:it 79if 4 per Centi ! 9 ';* S pet Cent. N. Ann. 1051 lot; flank L. Ann.... 20 5- Gas E. FA (2, c VTON, Stock-111-61;er, and Lombard-.tree:. !!1(1 W.‘T'F.T.t. AT LONI)ON BRIDGE 'rO.Mmut()W. MorniAg, 93 initint•el after G. Everting, 1 4 .: niiiinte‘ after 7. THE • SUN. 110LUM F. LIDEAT ? LONDON, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 1818.